The Institute for Regional Conservation
Pine Rockland Initiative Program
Restoring Globally Imperiled Pine Rockland Habitat in
Miami-Dade County
By: Sarah V. Martin
Mission Statement:
A private non-profit organization, The Institute for
Regional Conservation (IRC) is dedicated to the
protection, restoration, and long-term management of
biodiversity on a regional basis, and to the prevention
of regional extinctions of rare plants, animals and
ecosystems.
IRC works on conservation research and action
throughout South Florida, the Caribbean and beyond.
Our work is premised on an innovative idea of
conservation that seeks to protect and restore viable
populations of all plant and animal species within a
region, rather than simply focusing on charismatic
animals or plants with narrow global ranges.
IRC Floristic Inventory of South Florida
Ipomoea microdactyla Griseb.
Man-in-the-ground, 'Bejuco colorado'
Family: Convolvulaceae
Plants of South Florida · Plants by Conservation Area · Plants by County · Plants by Habitat
Submit Data · Quick Search · Advanced Search
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Vine
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Scattered in South Florida (Miami-Dade County) and the West Indies
(Cuba, Bahamas, Puerto Rico [Mona Island only]).
Nature Serve Global Status: Imperiled
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: S1S2
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated
Comments: Visit our Natives For Your Neighborhood website for more information and
images.
IRC Natives For Your Neighborhood
IRC Pine Rockland Initiative Program
To address the problems of neglected forest fragments and connectivity
the “Pine Rockland Initiative” was created initially in 2005 to restore pine
rockland habitat on private lands in Miami-Dade County.
Pine Rockland Geographical Distribution
South Florida and the Caribbean
Geology
The Miami Rock Ridge: A Pleistocene Deposit of Oolitic Limestone
Geology
The Miami Rock Ridge: A Pleistocene Deposit of Oolitic Limestone
The southern
quarter of the
Miami Rock
Ridge is
protected in
Everglades
National Park.
Everglades
National Park
Pine Rockland
Habitat
The northern
three quarters
extends 45 miles
northward into
the vicinity of
the City of
Miami
City of Miami
Pine
Rockland
Habitat
Pine Rockland Ecology- The Pine Canopy
South Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa) is the only canopy species.
We love our pines, but they are only 1 of several hundred species in the
ecosystem.
Pine Rockland Ecology – The Subcanopy
The diverse and constantly changing subcanopy is dominated by palms
and tropical hardwoods.
Pine Rockland Ecology – The Groundcover
The forest floor is dominated by a rich diversity of grasses and herbs, where
more than 400 plant species occur.
Federally Listed Species Endemic To The Pine
Rockland Initiative Project Area
Four of the six federally listed plant taxa documented in the project area are endemic
and are not found or protected in Everglades National Park. In addition, there are
eight plant species that are candidates for federal listing in the project area (Bradley
and Gann 1999) and 74 state-listed plant species.
Crenulated Leadplant
Sand Flax
Goulds Wedge Sandmat
Amorpha herbacea var.
crenulata
Linum arenicola
Chamaesyce deltoidea subsp.
adhaerens
Small’s Milkwort
Polygala smallii
Federal and State Endangered
Goulds wedge sandmat
Chamaesyce deltoidea subsp. adhaerens
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Herb
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Endemic to South Florida in Miami-Dade County.
NatureServe Global Status: Critically Imperiled
United States Federal Status: Endangered
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: Critically Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Critically Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Not Cultivated
Federal and State Endangered
Wedge sandmat
Chamaesyce deltoidea subsp. deltoidea
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Herb
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Endemic to South Florida in Miami-Dade County.
NatureServe Global Status: Critically Imperiled
United States Federal Status: Endangered
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: Critically Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated
Federal Threatened, State Endangered
Garber’s sandmat
Chamaesyce garberi
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Herb
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Endemic to South Florida in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
NatureServe Global Status: Critically Imperiled
United States Federal Status: Threatened
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: Critically Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Not Cultivated
Federal Candidate, State Endangered
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Blodgett’s wild mercury
Argythamnia blodgettii
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Herb
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Endemic to South Florida in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
NatureServe Global Status: Imperiled
United States Federal Status: Candidate
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Rare
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated
Federal Candidate, State Endangered
Mosier's false boneset
Brickellia mosieri
Family: Asteraceae
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Herb
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Endemic to South Florida in Miami-Dade County.
NatureServe Global Status: Critically Imperiled
United States Federal Status: Candidate
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: Critically Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Not Cultivated
Federal Candidate, State Endangered
Sand flax
Linum arenicola
Family: Linaceae
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Herb
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Endemic to South Florida in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
NatureServe Global Status: Critically Imperiled
United States Federal Status: Candidate
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: S1S2
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated
0
Federal Candidate, State Endangered
Carter’s flax
Linum carteri var. smallii
Family: Linaceae
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Herb
Perennation: Annual
Native Range: Endemic to the South Florida mainland.
NatureServe Global Status: G2T2
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Not Cultivated
Federal and State Endangered
Family: Fabaceae
Small’s Milkpea
Galactia Smallii
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Herb
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: South Florida in Miami-Dade County.
NatureServe Global Status: Critically Imperiled
United States Federal Status: Endangered
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: Critically Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated.
State Endangered
Family: Convolvulaceae
Man-In-The-Ground
Ipomoea microdactylla
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Vine
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Scattered in South Florida
(Miami-Dade County) and the West Indies
(Cuba, Bahamas, Puerto Rico [Mona Island only]).
NatureServe Global Status: Imperiled
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: S1S2
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated
State Threatened
Family: Celastraceae
Quailberry, Christmasberry
Crossopetalum ilicifolium
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Shrub
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: South Florida and the West Indies
(Cuba, Bahamas, Hispaniola).
NatureServe Global Status: Imperiled
State of Florida Status: Threatened
FNAI State Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Rare
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated
State Threatened
Pineland Clustervine
Jacquemontia curtissii
Family: Convolvulaceae
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Herb
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Endemic to South Florida.
NatureServe Global Status: Imperiled
State of Florida Status: Threatened
FNAI State Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Rare
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated
State Endangered
Family: Asteraceae
Shrub Eupatorium
Koenophyllon villosum
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Shrub
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: South Florida and the West Indies.
NatureServe Global Status: Apparently Secure
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Rare
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated
State Endangered
Family: Verbenaceae
Pineland Lantana
Lantana depressa var. depressa
Group: Dicot
Substrate: Terrestrial
Habit: Shrub
Perennation: Perennial
Native Range: Endemic to South Florida
in Miami-Dade County.
NatureServe Global Status: Rare
State of Florida Status: Endangered
FNAI State Status: Rare
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Rare
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated.
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Zebra Longwing Butterfly
Heliconius charithonia
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Gopher Tortoise
Gopherus polyphemus
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Florida Leafwing Butterfly
Anaea troglodyta floridalis
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Atala Butterfly
Eumaeus atala
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Bartram’s Hairstreak Butterfly
Strymon acis bartrami
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Painted Bunting
Passerina ciris
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Pine Warbler
Dendroica discolor
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Eastern Meadowlark
Sturnella magna
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Loggerhead Shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
Pine Rockland Wildlife
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio
Pine Rockland Today
Today, less
than 2% of the
historical pine
rockland
habitat
remains along
the Miami rock
ridge outside of
Everglades
National Park.
Everglades
National Park
Pine Rockland
Habitat
City of Miami
Pine
Rockland
Habitat
Less than 680
acres of pine
rockland in
private
ownership in
114 fragments
and an
additional 2,267
acres on public
lands.
Pine Rockland Yesterday
Everglades
National Park
Pine Rockland
Habitat
City of Miami
Pine
Rockland
Habitat
Pine Rockland Habitat Destruction
Primary Causes:
-Development, removal and fragmentation
-Invasive species
-Fire suppression
-Illegal dumping
-Sea level rise
The 45 miles of Miami Rock Ridge outside of Everglades National Park
has been almost completely developed, with over 2.5 million people living
in Miami-Dade County.
Only small isolated fragments of pine rockland remain in isolated patches
surrounded by homes, agricultural and industrial lands.
Extreme Fragmentation
Pine
Rockland
Fragment
Florida
Turnpike
Left unmanaged, these fragments may lose entire populations of
listed and rare species of plants and animals.
Invasive Species
Invasive Species
CATEGORY I
Invasive exotics that are altering native plant communities by
displacing native species, changing community structures or
ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives. This definition
does not rely on the economic severity or geographic range of
the problem, but on the documented ecological damage caused.
CATEGORY II
Invasive exotics that have increased in abundance or frequency
but have not yet altered Florida plant communities to the extent
shown by Category I species.
These species may become ranked Category I, if ecological
damage is demonstrated.
Natural Fire Cycle
Pine rocklands
should burn every
3-5 years
Publicly owned and Managed Pine Rockland
There are approximately 2,267 acres of
pine rockland fragments existing today
on public lands, most of which are
being managed by Miami-Dade
County, which manages the majority of
parcels in County ownership.
This network of managed County lands provides for a mosaic of larger high
quality habitats across the County.
Privately Owned and Managed Pine Rockland
Based on data collected in 2004 by IRC there are only 680 acres of pine
rockland remaining in private ownership in Miami-Dade County existing in
114 separate fragments.
Pine Rockland Protection Under Miami Dade County’s
1984 Enacted NFC Ordinance
Protection under this ordinance is extremely limited and does not provide a
mechanism for pine rockland management or sustainability on private lands.
IRC and Pine Rocklands…
-1999 IRC co-authored the pine rockland chapter of the USFWS Multi-Species Recovery Plan.
-2004 IRC mapped all pine rocklands in the project area, and compiled floristic data including locations of listed
and candidate plant species.
- 2005 IRC began conducting small scale restoration on pine rocklands in Miami-Dade County on private lands.
- 2007 IRC authored a region-wide Pine Rockland Management Plan for Miami-Dade County Environmentally
Endangered Lands Program.
-2009 IRC began conducting restoration of privately and publicly owned pine rocklands in the Florida Keys with
a multi-agency partnership involving the USFWS, State of Florida, and The Nature Conservancy.
-2010 IRC’s Pine Rockland Initiative Program expanded their scope of possible work by funds received through the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to restore pine rockland habitat on both public and private lands in MDC.
-IRC initiates efforts to cultivate and reintroduce listed and candidate plant species to restored pine rocklands.
-IRC maintains a database of pine rockland locations, boundaries, landowners, and listed and candidate plant
species locations.
-IRC Pine Rockland Initiative continues to restore pine rockland habitat on public and private lands in MDC.
IRC Partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service
What is Partners for Fish & Wildlife?
The Partners for Fish & Wildlife program
restores, improves, and protects fish and
wildlife habitat on private lands through
alliances between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, other organizations, and individuals,
while leaving the land in private ownership.
"We need to recognize the landowner as the custodian of public game on all
private land... compensate him... with either cash, service, or protection, for the
use of his land and for his labor... on the condition that he...safeguards the
public interest."
Aldo Leopold
Pine Rockland Habitat Restoration
Activities and Management
-Eradicate Invasive Species–
Not all plants are beneficial. Non-native invasive
species are a real threat to ecosystem health.
Plants such as Brazilian-pepper and Burmareed
are treated.
-Reintroduce the natural fire cycle–
Many ecosystems are fire dependent,
meaning they are at their healthiest when
they are burned intermittently.
Pinenrockland habitats may be burned to
improve ecosystem health and to reduce
hazardous fuel loads through controlled
burning by the Florida Forest Service.
-Native PlantingAreas of high
disturbance are
planted to
accelerate the
restoration process.
-Long term management and planning-For successful habitat restoration results,
long term management must be planned and implemented, or habitat will return
to pre-treatment levels.
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
Most pine rockland fragments are invaded by Burmareed (Neyraudia
reynaudiana), Brazilian-pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) and woman’s tongue
tree (Albizia lebbeck). This is how most pine rocklands appear before IRC begins
stewardship activities.
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
IPM Methods Utilized:
-Seedlings and saplings: handpulled.
-Large Saplings and Trees:
treated in place using “basal bark”
or “hack and squirt” methods, or
cut with chainsaw or machete and
treated with 15-30% Garlon 4 Ultra
mixed with vegetable oil and dye.
-Grasses and vines: Tall grasses
such as Burmareed cut with
brushcutters, then treated with 3%
Roundup ProMax. Short grasses
treated without being cut.
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
The team also uses chainsaws and machetes to cut out exotic trees such as
Queensland umbrellatree (Schefflera actinophylla).
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
IRC habitat restoration team uses brushcutters on Burmareed (Neyraudia reynaudiana)
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
-Initial Assessment of viable habitat
-Invasive Burmareed (Neyraudia
reynaudiana) is brush-cut and foliar treated
-Invasive trees such as earleaf acacia
(Acacia auriculiformis) and Brazilianpepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) are treated
in-place
-Evaluation of viable pine rockland habitat
assessed
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
Initial Assessment: No pines visible, entry without a machete is almost impossible. Habitat
edges are made up of dense Burmareed and invasive trees. No pine rockland species are
notable from the outside.
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
Typical Species Treated:
-Burmareed (Neyraudia reynaudiana)
- Brazilian-pepper (Schinus
terebinthifolius)
-earleaf acacia (Acacia auriculiformis)
-lead tree (Leucaena leucocephala)
-woman’s tongue (Albizia lebbeck)
- Queensland umbrella (Schefflera
actinophylla)
-Jasmine (Jasminum dichotomum)
-Java plum (Syzgium cumini)
- rosary pea (Abrus precatorius)
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
IRC Pine Rockland Initiative
Outreach and Education
IRC leads volunteer work days, neighborhood workshops and educational events in
an effort to reach out to the community about pine rockland conservation.
Pine Rockland Initiative
Habitat Restoration Team
And all the effort is worth it!
IRC Pine Rockland Initiative Accomplishments
To date, IRC has worked to restore
more than 580 acres of pine rockland
fragments in Miami-Dade County.
This accounts for 20% of the
remaining pine rockland outside
Everglades National Park in mainland
Florida.
Red represents remaining pine rockland
fragments occurring in Miami-Dade
County along the historic range of the
Miami rock ridge (Tan) outside of
Everglades National Park.
Purple represents the public and private
lands enrolled in the IRC Pine Rockland
Initiative Program for habitat
restoration.
Why Pine Rockland Habitat
Restoration?
-Increase habitat potentialEncourage a rich diversity of many
different species of native birds, butterflies
and other desirable wildlife.
-Improved neighborhood aesthetics—
Native wildflowers, trees, shrubs and
grasses put on a year round show for
residents to enjoy.
-Lower maintenance costs –
Over time, habitat restoration
now will decrease maintenance
costs later.
Global
Environmental
Health-Local
conservation projects
help make the world a
better place!
You Can Help:
How To Donate
To The Project
Tax deductible donations can be made specifically to
this project on The Institute For Regional
Conservation’s (IRC) website
www.regionalconservation.org.
IRC is a 501c(3) non-profit organization.
Donations can also be sent to the Main IRC office
located at:
100 East Linton Boulevard, Suite 302 B
Delray Beach, Florida 33483
Questions?
Contact:
Sarah Martin
Pine Rockland Initiative Program Coordinator and Biologist
[email protected]
(305) 505-9192
Thanks So Much!